3 April 2020

Dear Colleagues

Some reassuring news to kick of the weekend: our current total number of confirmed cases is slightly lower than where we had forecast we’d be by this time. This is due to a slowed ‘doubling time’ and buys us a little more time for preparation to ensure we have all of the right systems in place. We have also seen 109 patients recover – a real milestone to celebrate with these Queenslanders.

Some other updates:

• Workforce hubs
• PPE Clinical Advisory Group
• New starter orientation
• Update your details
• Social media

Workforce hubs

We are establishing workforce hubs locally at each Directorate and centrally at Metro North. These hubs will be the key areas responsible for management of reallocation of staff to priority clinical areas, and management of our vulnerable workers.

PPE Clinical Advisory Group

As you will have seen from our CE’s message earlier today, we have established a Metro North PPE Clinical Advisory Group with representatives from across the HHS. This group will be the final decision makers on PPE standards across Metro North and will recommend when we enact different stages.

The members are:

• Dr Hamish Pollock – ICU Redcliffe
• Louise O’Riordan – Safety & Quality Redcliffe
• Janice Geary – Infection Control TPCH
• Dr Alex Chaudhuri – Infectious Diseases TPCH
• Dr Chris Stonell – Anaesthetics TPCH
• Dr Brian Kirkby – General Surgery/Endoscopy Caboolture
• Dr Andrew Redmond – Infectious Diseases RBWH
• Dr Peter Goodyear – Anaesthetics RBWH
• Dr Sean Rothwell – Emergency Medicine RBWH
• Michelle Kane – Safety & Quality COH
• Dr Colin Myers – MN HEOC
• Jackie Hanson – MN ED Operations

Shaun has asked me to specifically apologise for his iPad autocorrection earlier on one member’s name!

New starter orientation

In line with social distancing requirements, mandatory new staff orientation will be delivered online through the LMS as “All Staff Orientation”. This includes general information introducing our HHS and how we work as well as all-staff corporate mandatory requirements including Infection Control Awareness, Health & Safety orientation, First Response Evacuation Instructions, Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights, Code of Conduct (incorporating Ethics and Fraud Awareness), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Practice Orientation, Occupational Violence Prevention and Waste Management.

Congratulations to the Organisational Development Unit within HR for getting this up and running in record time.

Update your details

If you haven’t recently updated your personal and emergency contact details in myHR, please take a moment to do so. If we need to reach you outside of your work hours, we will rely on that information.

Social media

Just a reminder that while we encourage staff to be active in your virtual social life, your social network will be relying on you for accurate information. Please make sure you’re only sharing information from reliable sources such as the Queensland Health or Australian Department of Health websites. And remember it’s never ok to share details of patients or other confidential information.

As I said yesterday, many people are looking for ways to help in these unprecedented times. Social distancing, donating blood, and looking out for our vulnerable community members are all ways to help. Please do not ask people to donate items directly to our facilities unless you can refer them to an official request on our website.

For those that have the weekend off – relax, rest and refresh.

Regards,

Dr Liz Rushbrook
Metro North Health Incident Controller

Metro North HHS – Overview of Cases*

*With effect 1000 3 April 2020
**Metro North has one recorded death